Rules of etiquette in the open-plan office, work etiquette and company etiquette

1. Open-plan office rules: Of insidious traps and regional specialties

The road to success is paved with hard work and numerous junctions that require a well-calibrated sense of direction. However, the pavement itself – and everyone who works in a team knows this – is paved with faux pas. Getting around them gracefully is a skill that very few people are naturally gifted with. Every day, gray areas of decency lurk behind every filing cabinet and are not always apparent at first glance due to the many unwritten rules in the office. But even in the company, as in every other social group from sports clubs to families, values ​​and rules determine everyday life. You should know the most important ones that have emerged as standards over time.

Of course, you can exaggerate everything and worry about every little thing. For example, how to greet the boss in the hallway most appropriately, whether a handshake as you walk past is appropriate, or rather a short wave or a jovial nod of the head. Whether a “Good day” or a “Good evening” is required, or whether the Bavarian “Servus!” The supervisor also has to answer whether it is too binding or not. In many cases, a well-trained and centered center of decency helps to do the right thing in each case. But basically everyone who works with others in a company should find out what manners are valued in their work environment. Because this should also be obvious: completely different rules apply in open-plan offices than in a carpentry shop. And as the example of the full burp after a meal - still seen as a compliment to the kitchen in the Middle Ages - shows: Customs also change with the times, and so your very personal work etiquette needs regular updates.

2. Of deadly sins and gray areas

Right at the beginning, a selection of the worst career killers: constant frustration, arrogance, resistance to advice, disrespect, backbiting, unpunctuality, talkativeness, stubbornness, overestimation of oneself or even self-doubt, impatience, all kinds of drugs at work and ingratitude. Anyone who knows how to hide this register will at least not make themselves immediately unpopular. You should also stay away from the edge areas of said points. It is sheer disrespect to discuss a colleague's physical flaws. So simple, so clear. The broad field of disrespect also includes slouching bored in the chair in meetings, staring at the cell phone instead of the flipchart or seemingly banal things like not looking the other person in the eyes during a conversation.

Even the transition from what is actually a positive trait towards crossing boundaries can sometimes be nuanced. Keyword: self-confident appearance. Certainly helpful in job interviews and valued by HR managers, if practiced consistently it can become a flaw. The department head who knows how to confidently lead a meeting is doing his job well. The department head who begins to brag or lecture about his knowledge during the meeting quickly appears arrogant. It is therefore important to keep the “antennas” sensitive, even in long-term employment relationships.

In this respect, a marriage or a long-term relationship is not particularly different from a long-term employment relationship: the risk of becoming comfortable and granting yourself special rights through length of service is great. To put it bluntly: The employee who starts coming and going whenever and however he wants, creating a mess on his desk and leaving his colleagues with extra work, is roughly the equivalent of the Adilette-and-fine-rib-undershirt husband who asks his wife over the noise of the television when the food will finally be ready.

3. Gray areas and internal company standards

While most of these examples of open-plan office rules can be explained through logic and a sense of what belongs - or doesn't - it becomes a little more difficult when it comes to internal company laws. Many companies have developed their own rules that would be unthinkable in other companies. If you think about the world of the IT industry, different laws certainly apply here than in banking. For example, there are companies where everyone, from the boss to the intern, is called everyone. If newcomers started to judge the others in general or even in part, it would be out of place. However, if employees of such a “first-name company” go to another company where “you” is used, they should adapt. Basically: It is always important to look at how things are done in the company you currently work for. In cases of doubt, it is better to pay attention to the general rules of etiquette and tend to be reserved rather than intrusive. By the way, this is also what a proven expert in the field of “business etiquette” says.

4. Good advice from a business etiquette expert

The communications trainer Helga Schmidt is, among other things, managing director of the Business Etiquette Institute and also trains trainers in this area. She cites the topic of “dress code” as an example of an internal company rule. “If there are service uniforms, this question obviously doesn’t arise.” If so, there may well be traps that employees should not fall into. "My clothing must be based on the company. But even if there are no set rules: a neckline that is too low has no place in an office and the skirt must not be too short." The rule of thumb is that it can go around the knees, but should not end above the knee. "Heels on the shoes are a maximum of five centimeters high. Coming to work barefoot isn't possible either. Unless, of course, I work in a beach bar."

If a tasteless comment is made about the length of a colleague's skirt, it is of course a violation of the rules. Helga Schmidt recommends reacting immediately to offensive comments. “As the person affected, I have to make it clear immediately after the comment or action that this is not possible.” It is very important to show the boundaries on the one hand, but to maintain a factual, professional tone on the other. If this happens again, she advises you to contact your supervisor quickly.

In general, the expert advises resolving workplace conflicts as quickly as possible. “If a colleague feels harassed by another colleague due to bad behavior, the best way to clarify this is in a one-on-one conversation.” If that doesn't help, the direct superior has to take over. This applies to all topics where conflict arises. “It could be that a colleague smells, dresses inappropriately or comes to work with open shoes.” A quick reaction prevents these conflicts from spreading, which ultimately affects the work. In general, disruptive factors have priority.

5. Quick information – short interview

The professional one Communications trainer Helga Schmidt specializes in business etiquette and trains trainers in this area. In a short interview she gives an overview of the complex field of “behavior in the office”.

Where are the most behavioral mistakes made in the office?
The most serious mistakes are made at work parties when alcohol is involved. Then suddenly colleagues offer the first name to each other, who really regret it the next day and that creates an unpleasant atmosphere.

How do I address my manager in an email?
So, the now widespread use of “Dear” or “Love” as an address in an email to my boss is inappropriate. That's far too private and takes away the seriousness. Incidentally, a boss is usually not in the position he is in because he is so extremely nice. No, I write “Dear” or the feminine form, or “Good day” or “Good morning”.

What about food at work?
Eating a sandwich at work is not appropriate. However, in many offices there is no other option. This is also fine after consultation. Open-plan office rule: Eating should not be a nuisance for others in the office. Not by smell and not by any noise. Normal rules of etiquette apply. This also includes washing your hands before and after meals.

What else is important when dealing with people in the office?
When I sit in an open-plan office, I'm not allowed to talk on the phone too loudly and I'm not allowed to have private conversations too often. Consideration is important in a large office. When I want something from someone, I don't yell across the room. The rule also applies here: the person who wants something moves. When someone calls, I answer with my first name, my last name and say “Hello” or “Grüß Gott”. When a stranger or a customer comes into the office, I stand up and look at them when I talk to them.

Office behavior is obviously a broad area in which there are many mistakes. Yes, but it's not everything to be able to behave well. With a positive charisma, some violations of the rules can be forgiven. It's important that you know the rules, so you can always change things that aren't quite right.

6. Rules for a good working atmosphere in the open-plan office

A Office chair Working in an open-plan office is an everyday challenge for many people. Anyone who adopts it in a sporty way will avoid pitfalls and frustration. Kant's Categorical Imperative also applies here as a basic guide to action, which can be found abbreviated in the saying: “If you don't want someone to do it to you, don't do it to anyone else.” So: What bothers others is something you should definitely avoid yourself. This is by no means limited to rules of etiquette such as greeting each other or the tone in which one communicates with one another, but these are of course a prerequisite. Anyone who enters a room should say hello, even if no one notices. The same applies to farewells - usually someone greets you back in a friendly manner. Supervisors do not call employees to their office and then work on theirs Desk making long phone calls and keeping them waiting. Submissiveness to those in a higher position in the hierarchy is also frowned upon. Hierarchies must not deter attention and politeness. The department head should hold the door open for the intern when she is balancing a stack of folders. But in addition to concrete actions and no-gos, the working atmosphere is largely determined by subliminal signals and sensory impressions.

It's not just loud phone calls or detailed private conversations that are irritating, but also "loud" colors and decorations with which some people try to express individuality. Neither the family's picture gallery nor a collection of children's or grandchildren's artistic work should dominate the workplace - one picture is completely fine, more is too much. In addition to food smells, intrusive perfumes or aftershaves are also annoying. Clothes that smell musty and sweaty make life difficult for colleagues. On hot days, the only thing that helps is an unscented antiperspirant in pen or roller form and a change of shirt or blouse. For sweaty feet, there is deodorizing foot powder, which has long been a given in other countries.

Constantly repeated movements or gestures are just as annoying; they fall under the unwritten open-plan office rules. Most of the time you hardly notice them yourself. However, if you catch yourself clicking with your ballpoint pen while talking on the phone, twirling strands of hair while thinking, or only walking with a jingling bunch of keys, you can be sure that your colleagues have long since become annoyed by it. Breaking the habit is difficult; Here you should get help from someone who just... Office furniture continues to sit and point it out to you in a friendly and consistent manner.

7. Open-plan office etiquette: Attention helps

There are numerous unwritten rules of conduct regarding open-plan offices. In order to get along well with others, the first step is to become aware that your own personality can be a major nuisance to others. If a colleague does something that affects your work or mood, you should talk to him about it: not when you are angry or desperate, but as calmly and relaxed as possible and with an offer to fix something yourself. Lists can help: What bothers others or me, what reduces my concentration? Which of these do I do myself? If you can, you should consult with someone and clearly communicate why you are asking and not talk about annoying habits of others. This is also a no-go with the open-plan office rules.